Three albums down, The Dangerous Summer has evolved into a courageous, audibly passionate band. Guitarist, Cody Payne is one half of the band’s founding members and gearing up for a show in Utah as we chat about new records, new directions, old times and that voice.
It’s no secret the band have had a shake up over the past year. Having replaced two of its former members with Matt Kennedy (former The Graduate guitarist) and 1994’s drummer, Ben Cato, the boys revisit our headphones with an incarnation of The Dangerous Summer that is decidedly more intense with the aptly named Golden Record.
It’s all encompassing with energetic drum rolls and pensive melodies. Payne explains it’s a collection of songs that “a few years ago I never would’ve expected us to write, so I guess it’s cool to show some people that I guess didn’t listen to us before that might be turned onto us now because of the direction we’ve taken with some of the songs.” Having just been given the number one New Alternative Artist, it’s clear that people are certainly sitting up and listening.
Despite the records early successes, many a seasoned band member will attest that new directions equate to new criticisms. With many confusing Perdomo’s vocal intensity for aggressive shouting it’s little wonder he took to Twitter for a little venting. This delivery, both live and on the record is something that Payne explains was entirely deliberate. “I mean that was kind of what we were aiming for. We wanted for it to be a little more punk rock, a little more raw. Something that made you kind of feel the passion in the vocals.”
Indeed the album is all passion. This is a band that puts its heart on its tattooed sleeves and probably explains their dedicated and involved fans, most of which feel as if they’ve grown up with the boys.
The Dangerous Summer was spawned in Cody and AJ’s final years of high school nearly ten years ago in Ellicott City, Maryland. Payne explains it’s not a particularly rock ‘n’ roll destination but it was the inspiration behind one of the album’s highlight tracks, Catholic Girls. “For us, we’ve mentioned a lot of people who have been supporting us along the way. It’s just kind of like remembering what it was like back then when we first started and all that.”
The Golden Record is the ultimate reflection of where the band currently stands: hopeful and ambitious, grateful and renewed. It’s evident in everything from lyrical themes about past regrets and life mistakes to the dreamy album artwork that Payne describes as something that “coincides with the whole album concept. Something timeless and something that makes you feel reminiscent. We wanted to make an album that might’ve come out ten years ago or 20 years ago and still be relevant.” The cover is a sunset hued image of a hand holding a lit firework and just as easily seems like an old dug up Polaroid as it does a filtered Instagram snap.
As they gear up to take part in the return of the Australian Vans Warped Tour, The Dangerous Summer will be joined by the likes of Simple Plan, The Offspring and Parkway Drive. Promising to regale the audience with some old-fashioned punk stylings, Cody admits “We’re probably going to be playing a fair amount of our new record… we’re going to keep it as fast and hard as possible for everyone. I doubt we’ll be playing any of our slower ballads.”
The Dangerous Summer just found their voice.
BY ISABELLA UBALDI
